Miss seeing your team face to face? Have a huddle! Here are some facilitation tips for an awesome and worthwhile virtual huddle with your team. This is a great habit to get into now that you can’t see everyone face to face at the office.
The purpose of the huddle is to start the day high energy and provide your team the opportunity to see the smiling faces of those whom they will be working with all day.
A daily huddle, much like a football team on the field preparing for a play, is how you prepare your team for the challenges of the day. It gets everyone organized and aligned and strengthens team health.
Enable video
Everyone must turn on video and use a headset. This call is too short and fast-paced to have audio problems. If your team is going to be interacting with clients via video throughout the day, this is a great opportunity that everyone is ready to be “on stage.”
Designate the right person to run the meeting
This person should know everyone and be organized and willing to cut people off (nicely!) if necessary, to keep the huddle flowing. No need to rotate facilitators – have the right and best person facilitate the meeting.
Have an agenda.
The agenda we use is simple. Each person shares just three data points:
- Biggest win yesterday: what’s the best thing you accomplished or that happened yesterday?
- Most important thing I’m working on today: what’s your top priority today?
- Any stuck points: where do you need some help?
Keep it fast paced
Everybody gets the 30-60 seconds. If anything needs additional follow-up discussion, don’t discuss it in the huddle. Take it “offline” by pairing the person who needs help with the right and best person to provide that assistance.
Start and end on time
A huddle starts at the exact time—starting late is deflating and every minute you start late, people will wonder why you’re wasting their time.
Include a joke!
Why not tell a silly joke or two? Humor is a great way to start the day. Get them laughing! Be cheesy!
Consider the order that you’re going in – end with someone with higher energy. It’s always better to end a call on upbeat.
Have a great huddle!